Police: Shoplifter gets stuck in El Paso mall traffic trying to escape

A man police said stole items from a department store got stuck at a traffic light when trying to escape from a West Side mall.

El Paso Police were called to the Dillard’s at Sunland Park mall Thursday afternoon after employees suspected Jermill Brewster of stealing merchandise. Brewster, 21, quickly exited the store with a designer purse and hoodie in hand, according to El Paso police. The value of the items was $460.

However, Brewster got stuck in mall traffic at the light to enter Sunland Park Drive.

When employees caught up with him, Brewster began to ram his way through traffic, damaging two vehicles, and got away, police said.

Police later caught up with Brewster at his home on the 8600 block of Lawson in El Paso’s Northeast. He was trying to remove the license plates from his car, according to officers.

Brewster was booked into the El Paso County Jail for aggravated robbery.

His bond was set at $75,000.